Muddy
by Like A Dove
Summary: Forced to be apart of Sam and Emily's wedding, it takes Bella being put in a dirty sitiuation with Jacob in order to truly understand what matters.


**A/N: This is another one-shot written for a fic exchange on the livejournal community theair_thesun for 'alluringcliche'**

**Prompts:**

**-kid!Jacob/Bella**

**-La Push/the Wolf Pack**

**-angsty or jealous Jacob**

**What they _didn't _want to see:**

**-too many vampires**

**-AH/AU**

* * *

"Daddy can I have a lollipop?"

"Sure Bells, when we get to the Black's you can have one."

Seven year old Bella Swan sat in the cruiser, her hands folded neatly over her Disney Princess Belle gown, which she had insisted on wearing today. "Okay," she said, smiling up at her father. "I want a blue one."

The thick forests of Forks passed them as they drove by, and soon Bella spotted small houses dotted here and there, which meant they had passed over into La Push. A moment later they pulled into the Black's small driveway. Bella had been here before this time last summer. The girls she had played with, Rebecca and Rachel, had been a little older then her, but they had played Barbies with her and watched Beauty and the Beast, which had become Bella's favorite movie.

Charlie got out of the car before her, and, feeling a little shy, Bella slowly climbed out of the car herself. She stood behind her father and eyed the tiny house and neighboring shed curiously. Suddenly the front door opened and out rolled a man in a wheelchair. "Charlie! Bella!" he exclaimed. He moved out of the doorframe and waved them inside. "It's great to see you!"

Bella trotted into the house after Charlie. It smelled nice, like home cooking, and the living room furniture looked squishy and comfortable. Power Rangers was playing on the television and a young boy wearing a Batman cape was sitting in front of it, absorbed in whatever was going on. "Bella," Charlie said, looking down at her. "You remember Billy?" Bella peered up at the man in the wheelchair. She nodded.

Billy grinned at her. "Well don't you look cute in your little dress. Who are you supposed to be? Ariel?"

"I'm wearing Belle's dress," Bella correcting politely.

"Well doesn't that fit then. Belle…Bella," Billy turned his attention back to Charlie. "The girls are at the grocery store with their mom, should be back in a half hour or so. Hey Jacob…Jacob!" The young boy looked over his shoulder at his dad and blinked. Billy sighed. "Jacob, come over here and say hello to Bella." Jacob froze and then looked back at the television longingly before getting up, turning it off, and sauntering over to the group.

"Jacob, this is Bella. She's going to be staying with us for a couple of hours. Say, why don't you and Bella go and play outside until your sisters get home?" Billy gave Jacob a little push in Bella's direction. Jacob eyed Bella curiously before his eyes widened in disgust at her dress. Bella, already starting to feel irritated, crossed her arms and glared at him.

"Here," Charlie whipped two lollipops out of his pocket, handed the Blue Raspberry one to Bella and the Root Beer one to Jacob before opening the door and pushing both of them outside. "Have fun!"

The front door closed behind them and Bella Swan found herself alone, for the first time, with Jacob Black.

Jacob was staring down at his lollipop sadly. "But…but…I don't like the brown ones." His bottom lip started to quiver and tears started to fill his big brown eyes. Bella glanced down at her own lollipop. She liked the brown ones just fine, although blue _was _her favorite. With a sigh she held out her lollipop to Jacob. "It's okay, we can switch."

The tears were instantly gone and Jacob grinned at her. "Thanks Bells!" He ran past her and snatched the candy out of her hand while shoving his lollipop into her other one before running off to a pile of toy trucks sitting beside the drive way. He plopped down into the dirt and started to ram them into each other, happily adding his own sound effects.

Bella pulled the wrapper off her lollipop and popped it into her mouth. She walked over to Jacob, avoiding some of the mud along the way. She didn't want to get her Keds dirty. "So," she said as she approached Jacob, "do you guys have a swing?"

Jacob paused for a moment to look up at her. "No." The lollipop was already turning his mouth and lips blue. "Hey, wanna see my pet frog?"

Bella frowned. "No."

But Jacob had already stood up and bolted over to a spot beside the shed, his Batman cape soaring behind him. "I put a box over it yesterday so I could show Rachel, but then…but then I forgot."

Not the least bit thrilled, Bella followed Jacob. "I don't like frogs," she whined. "Do you have sidewalk chalk?" she questioned.

Jacob was standing over a cardboard box. "I like frogs, my teacher calls them "amphibidons".

"Amphibians," Bella corrected. She eyed Jacob. "Why are you wearing a cape?"

Jacob whirled around and held out his cape with both hands. "Because it makes me cool, like Batman!" He then began running in circles around Bella shouting, "Na na na na na na na BATMAN!"

Bella sulked and put a hand on her hips. "Wearing a cape doesn't make you Batman," she huffed. Jacob stopped beside her and glared. "Well wearing Belle's dress doesn't make you a princess!"

Bella gasped, scandalized. "Yes it does!"

"Does not!"

"Does _to!_"

"Does _**not**_!"

"_**DOES TO**_!"

"Look Bells, a frog!" And with that, Jacob yanked back the cardboard box and out sprang a frog, right in Bella's direction. She screamed and jerked to her left in order to avoid colliding with the amphibian. And then, with a plop, she fell into the mud.

Mud now covered Bella's Disney Princess Belle dress, the one she had begged Renee to buy for her at the Disney Store. The one that had made her a princess.

Hysterical sobs could not even begin to describe the noise that began to come from Bella.

Jacob stared down at her, horrified.

"You runined…my…dress!" Bella sobbed, pointing a shaking finger at Jacob. He continued to stare at her, fiddling with the edge of his cape. "This…is…all your…fault!" Big, fat tears were streaming down her face and her hands, now covered in muck, were gripping her knees. Suddenly she froze, and then screamed. "You got mud…in my h-h-hair!"

"I'm sorry Bella, I didn't mean to—" But Bella wouldn't look at him, she probably couldn't even hear him over all the racket she was making. Jacob was surprised Charlie and Billy hadn't come running out of the house yet.

With a sigh, he wrapped his cape around himself and fell into the mud beside her, trying to get as much mud on his cape as possible.

The crying ceased. Bella was staring at him, shocked. "See Bella, now I have mud on my cape." He then ran his muddy fingers through his hair. "And now there's mud in my hair too. We're even now Bells."

Bella continued to look at him, her mouth hanging open. Jacob shrugged his shoulders. "Wanna make mud pies now?"

* * *

"Bella, could you turn around please?"

Bella shook herself out of her memory. Funny how she would be thinking about that _now _of all days. She turned around and did a little twirl in her bridesmaid's dress.

"Oh good, it fits you like a glove!" Emily exclaimed, beaming up at Bella. Emily's best friend, Anna, was applying makeup to her face. She smacked Emily's arm. "Do not talk while I'm applying your lipstick! Geez." Emily immediately closed her mouth and held perfectly still.

"Thanks so much again for filling in Bella!" She said as soon as Anna pulled her away from her face. "I had no idea who to call when my other bridesmaid got stuck at her airport, but then Leah suggested you and I thought 'Why not?' You're really helping me out here."

Bella resisted the urge to look at Leah, who was sitting in the corner of the room fiddling with the murderous heels Emily was requiring them to wear. Bella was waiting until the last minute to put hers on as they were nothing but a deathtrap.

Leah _would _volunteer Bella to be a bridesmaid in Emily's wedding. Because Leah enjoyed watching Bella suffer, and since Jacob was one of the groomsmen (the one assigned to walk with Bella down the isle, _just her luck_) Bella was going to have to talk to him and be around him. And since the last time Bella had seen Jacob was a month ago in his bedroom when she was attempting to say goodbye to him for an unknown period of time, being around him today wasn't going to be very pleasant.

"Okay. Done. Now go put on your dress," Anna shooed Emily away. She turned and regarded Bella. "This is going to be interesting." Leah snorted.

"Did you happen to bring any makeup?" Anna asked as she grabbed Bella and sat her down in the chair that Emily had just been sitting in. Bella shook her head. Anna frowned. "Nothing?" Bella shook her head again. Anna pursed her lips as she began rummaging through her makeup back. "Well obviously the foundation I have won't work on you because you're as white as a vampire." Leah let out a laugh. "Okay sweetie, I think I have some translucent powder in here…let's see…ah hah!" She held up a container of white powder and a brush. "Hold still and close your eyes."

Bella straightened up and obeyed. The soft brush whished across her face. "Open your eyes, time for mascara."

Bella reeled back. "You know, that's okay. My eyes are fine really—"

"Oh please, I won't poke your eyes. It's either mascara or eyeliner, you chose."

Bella bit her lip and eyed the girl apprehensively. Anna was standing over her with a tube of Great Lash, a look of determination in her eyes.

"Okay, fine."

Anna smiled. "Good girl." She leaned forward and quickly swept a coat of mascara over Bella's eyelashes. "Okay, that's all I'm going to try with you."

At that moment Emily walked back into the room in her wedding dress. To say she looked lovely was the understatement of the century. It was a simple white gown, it was strapless and it swept down to the floor. She was practically glowing. All the bridesmaids gasped and rushed over to her, along with the photographer. Bella, however, hung back. She had her deathtrap heels in one hand and she used the other to wrap around herself. She turned her head away, trying to look anywhere except for the bride and Leah, before her eyes fell on the mirror.

The bridesmaid's dresses that Emily had picked out were nice. They, too, were strapless and it hit just at the knee, length wise. The fabric was silky and soft to the touch, and the color a rose-red. Each bridesmaid also had been given a string of pearls to wear around her neck. It was classic, and everyone looked beautiful.

The only downside? Emily and all her bridesmaids were either Makah or Quileute, and with their beautiful rich, dark skin the color of the dress really popped. Bella, who, as Anna said, was as white as a vampire, stood out like a sore thumb. Bella did not enjoy being the center of attention in this way.

Her eyes quickly fell upon something that made her stand out even more, Edward's engagement ring, which was sitting on her ring finger. Although pretty, it was fairly bulky and didn't really go with the whole 'classic' feel. So she quietly slipped it off and put it in the bag she had brought with a change of clothes.

"Okay everyone! It's almost time! Line up!" Anna began hustling everyone into place, and Bella found out she would be the last bridesmaid to walk down the isle, right behind Leah.

Anna stopped beside her. "Bella, please put on your shoes." Bella looked down at the heels still in her hand and, with a sigh, dropped them to the floor and slipped them on.

And then they were walking out of the Clearwater's front door and around the side of the house, where the groomsmen were waiting. The Clearwater's had a fairly large backyard that blended well with the natural forest scenery that stretched beyond their home. There were flowers everywhere, as Sue Clearwater enjoyed the occasional gardening. It was a lovely place to get married.

Bella froze when she spotted him. He was decked out in a formal tux, and was wearing converse. All the groomsmen were actually. But he looked clean. And he was dressed up. And…

…and he looked good.

Jacob turned around and looked directly at her. He did not smile, he just simply looked her in the eye. He held out his arm and jerked his head, indicating that she should come over. So Bella, whose heart was pounding in her chest, walked over and linked arms with Jacob Black.

"Hi," she said softly, staring down at her feet.

"Hello Bella," she heard him say, his voice husky. 'Bella' sounded foreign on his tongue. She was so used to 'Bells' and 'honey'. She wished she could hear him call her that again. She risked a look up at him. He was staring down at her, his eyes filled with a sadness that Bella had never seen in him before. She wanted to kick herself. She knew that sadness was because of her.

"Bella! What's up!" Embry was in front of her, grinning. His arm was linked with Leah's. "Long time no see. How are things?"

Bella shrugged. "Fine."

"Cool. So are you totally ready for this weddi—" Leah pinched him, causing Embry to wince. "Okay yeah, we'll talk later Bella."

Bella fidgeted in her spot, wishing the wedding would start up already. She could hear the small wedding crowd seated in the backyard chit chatting.

"Speaking of weddings, when's your delightful little wedding going to be, hmm?" Bella bit her lip and looked up at him again. He was still looking at her, the expression on his face hard. She decided to ignore the sarcasm. "We haven't decided. I'm a little uncomfortable with having it too soon."

"That's nice," Jacob said, his tone dry and uninterested. Bella bristled. "You asked."

Jacob opened his mouth to retort when the music started up. "Right, let's just do this."

Bella watched with growing apprehension as each paired groomsmen and bridesmaid rounded the house and walked into the backyard. And then, all too soon, it was their turn.

As they rounded the house, Bella felt one of her heels sink into the ground and turn in a direction that she had no intent of going in. Jacob moved his hand to quickly wrap around her waist and gently pull her up, saving her from the embarrassment of falling. He continued to keep a steady hand on her, guiding her down the isle.

"Thank you," Bella mumbled under her breath as she passed people she didn't know, except for Billy, who was sitting on the edge of one row. He nodded when he saw her.

"Well I wasn't going to let you fall," Jacob answered, slightly surprised. They were almost to the front, where a nervous looking Sam and tribal elder were waiting. Jacob gave her waist a gentle squeeze. "Okay I have to let go now Bells, think you can make it?"

Bella smiled and gave a tiny nod. As they broke apart and went in their own separate directions, Bella was happy and relieved to make it to her particular spot next to Leah.

"Good job not falling," Leah said out of the side of her mouth. But Bella didn't care. She was smiling, nearly grinning. And it wasn't because she was at a wedding, or even that she only had to wait a little bit longer to take off these damn heels, but because Jacob had called her 'Bells' again.

* * *

"Hey Quil, have you seen Jacob?"

The wedding had ended nearly an hour ago, and Bella was walking around the Clearwater's home, where the reception was being held. She was also barefoot.

Embry clutched his can of beer to his chest and shook his head. "Nope." He held out his free hand to Bella. "Want to dance?"

Bella shook her head. "Thank you Embry, but no. I'm looking for Jake."

"Oh yeah Jacob! I don't know where he is Bella sorry."

Bella forced a smile. "Well thanks anyway." She turned and quickly headed towards Quil, who seemed a little less tipsy. He didn't know where Jacob was either.

Bella asked around for Jacob for another couple of minutes, and became more and more discouraged when people kept saying 'nope'. She walked out of the front door and glanced around, hoping maybe Jacob had slipped into the front yard instead. He hadn't.

"He was on his way to the beach last time I saw him," someone said from behind her. Bella turned around to see Sam, who was holding a glass of champagne in one hand and his new wife in the other.

Bella blinked at the happy couple before nodding her head. "Oh, thanks."

"You gonna go talk to him?" Sam asked.

"I mean, I guess so—"

"You should," Sam said before taking a sip from his glass. "You two need to settle things."

"But, we _did _settle things after the fight against the newborns—"

"It's hasn't been settled when you two are obviously still in love with each other," Emily said softly as she leaned her head against Sam's chest. "You should go talk to him."

Bella sighed. She didn't want to argue with them "Yeah okay. He went to First Beach?"

Sam nodded and pointed to his right. "It's in that direction."

* * *

The beach was quiet. The sun shone over the horizon and illuminated the ocean, and Bella felt somewhat peaceful.

Jacob was stretched out in the sand, his back leaned up against a large piece of drift wood. He had taken off his shoes and jacket and strewn them across another piece of wood, and he had rolled up the legs of his dress pants. He was focusing intently on something in his hands.

"Jacob," Bella said softly when she reached him. "We should talk."

"Didn't we already talk?" he shot back, causing Bella to cringe.

"Jacob," she said again, "why are you so sad?"

"I hate weddings."

"But I thought you liked them?" Bella asked, taken aback.

"I hate them now," he spat. He looked up at her for the first time. The sea breeze caught his hair and blew it into his face. But Bella could still see his eyes, and the pain in them was too much for her to bear.

Tears spilled out of her eyes before she could stop them. "I'm so sorry! I never meant to—"

"Why are you sorry?" Jacob said, cutting her off. He stood up and faced her and with his thumb he wiped away the tears from her face. "You get to marry the _love of your life._ I don't. Today I walked you down the isle. But that's it for me isn't it? I'll never be able to stand at that alter and watch you walk down it _towards me. _Weddings are just another reminder of what I have lost, and that is why I hate them."

Bella stared up at him, wide eyed. She was shaking, and not from the wind that was whipping around her.

He reached out and gently lifted up her left hand before slipping a ring onto her ring finger. "It took me a couple of weeks to make it. It's the only ring I'll ever be able to slip onto your finger, so I wanted it to be special." He leaned forward and gently cupped her face in one of his big hands. "Will you keep this for me?" he whispered.

All Bella could do was nod.

Jacob's face was grim, but he nodded back at her. Then, after some resolve, he leaned forward and kissed her forehead before letting his arm drop back down to his side. And then he turned and walked away from her without a word.

Bella looked down at the ring on her finger. It was made out of wood, but Jacob had brushed a polish over it to make it shine. It was wolves and roses delicately intertwined. They were tiny, but perfect down to the last curve and cut that Jacob had engrained into the wood. And it fit her finger like a glove.

"Jacob!" she screamed, and when he didn't turn around she screamed his name again and broke out into a sprint. He disappeared into the edge of the woods.

"Jacob Black! Will you come back here and talk to me please! Jacob!" Her voice was high pitched and hysterical, but she didn't even care. Finally she spotted him, leaning up against a tree with his head leaned back and eyes closed.

"Can we not do this anymore, Bella? Please?" he asked miserably.

"No!" Bella panted, trying to catch her breath. "We have to do this! We have to…"

Jacob opened his eyes and looked at her. "We have to what?"

Bella searched her mind, trying to find her reason. "I don't know! But something about this just isn't _right._ Something feels off about this whole situation!"

Jacob rolled his eyes. "Oh okay, awesome." He pushed himself off of the tree and started to walk away from her again.

"No Jake! Wait—" she reached her hand out to grab his arm. But she missed. And she tripped. And she fell to her left.

Right into a pile of mud.

It _covered _her dress, her legs, her bare feet. And, Bella noticed with growing irritation, some mud had splattered into her hair. Again.

Anger, embarrassment, and frustration overflowed from Bella and she started to cry, right there in the heap of muck.

"Bella? Are you okay—"

"This is all your fault! If you had just stood there and _listened _to what I had to say to you, then I would not be in this position!"

"Come on Bells I didn't mean to—"

"I actually _liked_ this dress!" Bella cried out, unsuccessfully trying to wipe the mud on her hands off on a nearby tree trunk. Upon realizing she was failing, she let her arms plop down by her side. The tears continued to stream down her already tear streaked face, and she just looked so _pathetic. _

Jacob sighed. He walked forward and threw himself down into the mud beside her, causing the crying to cease and Bella to stare up at him, shocked.

He smiled at her. A real smile. "You know Bells, sometimes you're too predictable. Are we even now?"

Bella nodded.

They sat there like that for a little while in the mud, just watching each other. Bella could still feel the ring sitting on her finger. She looked down at it.

She was the girl in the rose colored dress. She was the rose.

He was the boy who shifted. He was the wolf.

And with every curve and cut of the wood, they blended together perfectly.

Bella stood up quickly and managed to do so without falling over. "I'll be back," she said before turning around and walking away from him. She could feel the mud sliding down her bare leg, and it was unpleasant.

"Wait! Bella!" She could hear Jacob scrambling out of the mud.

"I'll be back," she repeated, with more firmness in her voice. And she continued forward without looking back.

* * *

The treaty line wasn't far from where she had been, and just like she thought, Edward and the Volvo were idling right at the line, waiting for her. Edward jumped out of the car when she came into view.

"What the hell happened? Why are you covered in mud?"

"Can you take me to my house so I can change clothes please?" She asked as she opened the passenger's door and prepared to climb in.

"Wait Bella!" Edward said, alarmed. And popped open the trunk and immediately pulled out a towed. "Let me just put this on the seat."

Bella narrowed her eyes. Like he couldn't afford to buy new upholstery…

"Never mind, I'm going back to Jacob's."

Edward pulled away from tucking the towel into the seat and looked at her. "Oh? When will you be back?"

Bella paused. "I'm going back to Jacob," she corrected herself.

Edward's eyes flashed to her hand, and he sighed when he saw Jacob's ring. He closed his eyes briefly before looking back up at her. "Just like that then?"

Bella nodded before answering, "Yeah, just like that."

Edward nodded before giving her a small smile. "Alright then. Be happy, Bella." And then he got into the Volvo and drove away.

* * *

Jacob's house was farther away from the treaty line then she thought, and Bella was still barefoot.

None of that mattered when the Rabbit came roaring into view with Jacob behind the wheel. He slammed on the brakes as soon as he saw her. He leaped out of the car without bothering to cut the engine, and Bella noticed he was still covered in mud.

"Bella, I'm not sure what I'm doing."

Bella smiled. "Neither am I."

He grinned back at her. "Okay then, that works."

Bella held up her hand. "This ring is staying there."

Jacob stood there looking at her for a moment before closing the distance between them. Luckily, neither of them had gotten mud on their lips.

"I'm sorry Jacob, for hurting you before," she whispered against his mouth. She felt him shake his head. "I don't even care about that right now Bells, honestly. I am sorry though, about the mud…"

Bella laughed as she pulled away. "Well if I can forgive you for getting mud on my Disney Princess Belle dress then I suppose I can forgive you for this one."

Jacob snorted. "You know neither were my fault _technically_."

"Oh _whatever! _You threw a frog at me!" Bella backed away from him for a moment to get her point across. And then she slipped and fell. Into the mud. Again.

And Jacob followed her. Willingly. Again.


End file.
